1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for waving a flag or banner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for displaying a flag or the like in waving condition have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 2,302,524 to Borregard teaches in an approved device for simulating the waving of a flag or banner, the combination of a staff, a flag or banner having the hoist thereof attached to the staff, a resilient rod having its upper end attached to the upper outer corner of the flag or banner, means for attaching the lower end of said rod to a plunger armature, a solenoid, means associated with the solenoid for resiliently attaching the plunger armature in operative relation to the solenoid, an energizing circuit for said solenoid, and means for intermittently energizing the solenoid to impart a reciprocating motion to the plunger armature and whereby an oscillatory movement will be imparted to the upper end of the said rod and to thereby impart a waving motion to the upper end of the flag or banner, and which motion will be transmitted to the entire flag or banner and simulate the waving motion of a flag or banner in a breeze.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,580 to Serrone teaches a device is provided for displaying a flag or the like in waving condition, wherein such condition is produced or simulated by mechanical means, rather than by the effects of air currents. The device employs a rotatably supported pole, to which one edge of the flag is secured; a support element, to which another edge of the flag is secured, extending laterally from the pole and rotatable with the latter; and drive means for oscillating the pole about its axis through an angular rotation of less than 90 degrees.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,461,234 to Bounds teaches a flag waving machine for automatically waving a flag in a FIG. 8 pattern. A rod provides a support for the flag to be waved, this rod being attached to a pitman arm through a universal joint, the rod being pivotally supported in a bushing. The pitman arm is rotatably driven at one end to provide reciprocal motion of the rod, this reciprocal motion being guided in a FIG. 8 pattern by means of a guide channel. The channel is formed between a FIG. 8 shaped wall formed on a base member and a pair of spring-urged elliptical guide members which are also shaped and positioned to form a FIG. 8, the guide members operating to guide the path of the arm in the channel through a FIG. 8 pattern.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,811 to Heiland teaches a signalling device for warning motorists of danger including, in combination: a planar sign having a first surface with indica thereon; a housing having a top wall with a slot formed therein and a flange secured to the sign; a motor positioned within the housing, the motor having a horizontal output shaft, a disk coupled to the output shaft, the disk adapted for rotational movement, and a hole formed within the periphery of the disk; a generally vertically extending flag pole having an upper extent and a lower extent, the lower extent being pivotally connected to the bottom wall of the housing, the flag pole adapted for cyclic pivotal movement, a horizontal hole formed adjacent to the lower extent of the flag pole, the flag pole being positioned such that it extends through the slot of the housing, the upper extent of the flag pole extending above the housing and the top portion of the sign; an s-shaped pin having a first end and a second end, the first end positioned within the hole formed adjacent to the lower extend of the flag pole, the second end positioned within the hole of the disk, the pin adapted to translate the rotational movement of the disk into the cyclical pivotal movement of the flag pole.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,328 to Pettit teaches an apparatus for displaying a flag, banner, or pennant, so as to simulate waving in wind, is particularly adapted for use with a novelty flag that is scaled for use in model railroad layouts. The apparatus employs a correspondingly scaled flag staff for coupling with and supporting the flag along one edge thereof. A drive arrangement is coupled to the flag staff at the base thereof for producing a rotatory oscillating motion. Electrical energy for the drive arrangement, which includes a small electric motor having a motor shaft with an eccentric element attached thereto, is provided from a conventional energy source, such as batteries. Coupling between the flag staff and the drive arrangement is achieved via a mechanical energy storage device that includes a resilient spring arranged to receive mechanical energy from the drive arrangement. The eccentric element attached to the motor shaft includes a mechanical striker that is in the form of a spring wire wound about the motor shaft. Mechanical energy stored in the mechanical energy storage device is delivered to the flag staff via a drive coupler that is coupled to the mechanical energy storage arrangement. The mechanical energy received by the mechanical energy storage arrangement is converted to the rotational oscillatory, motion of the flag staff, the rotational oscillations being of such frequency and amplitude to induce an undulation in the novelty flag, whereby the flag is raised from its draped orientation so as to extend outwardly, giving the appearance of being supported by the wind.
AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a device for waving a banner that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a device for waving a banner that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a device for waving a banner that is simple to use.
BRIEFLY STATED, STILL YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a device for waving a banner which utilizes an electric motor mounted in a housing and having a simple spring mechanism secured to an output shaft so that a flag staff or banner staff can be easily attached or detached therefrom. Accordingly when the flag is attached in this manner and the motor is energized the flag is rotated and appears to wave so that all may observe.